Salon Coaching - Part Two

​Coaching Part 2
Salon Language and Communication
In this article, we will be addressing your Salons Language and Communication between your Team and your Clientele.
Let’s talk about your new Team Members fresh out of school first.
Your Salon Newbies to the Industry can be a bit challenging. They can be a lot of fun and inspiring as well.  These employees can bring their own set of ideas and salon vocabulary. It can come in subtle ways, terminology can be one challenge. For instance, when I was in Cosmetology School years ago, the terminology used for services was totally different than the language used today. We used to call a root touch up just that. Today that is referred to as a color service on “Outgrowth”. Simple nuances in terminology need to be addressed. Your Team Members should use the same language to describe your Salon Services. It is important that you as the Salon owner and Team Leader, set the tone on your business communication language and style. Every Team Member should be using the same terms and descriptions for your Salon Services. Keeping things clear and concise will help your clients know what services they will be receiving.
There are a few simple ways to keep things moving in the right direction.
I like to have a staff meeting whenever I bring on a new Team Member. It helps to brain storm with all the Team. This allows all voices to give their input. We discuss the ways that we as a Team use specific language to describe our services. It is always helpful to get some content from our recent Beauty Industry Graduates. They are fresh, excited and ready to take on the world! This enthusiasm is refreshing and inspiring. They bring a current view on what they have just learned with them. As a Salon owner, I like to keep up to date on the Salon language being used in the current marketplace. This will help keep your Team informed when the super savvy client drops a new term for a service we have already been doing, or maybe need to take a look at for the future.
Nothing is more frustration than to have a client ask for a service you have never heard of. I have had to “Google” and YouTube on many occasions to figure out what a client was referring to.
When you are interviewing new staff, make sure you do your language homework. If you want to attract young, fresh, energetic Team Members, you need to speak their language. You have to stay current on the new terminology for old services. Just one easy example, Permanent Wave is now “Texture Wave”.
Most new Graduates will never use the term Permanent Wave. Sounds old fashioned and outdated. Another simple example for those of you Lash and Brow Artists. We have used the term “glue” for bonding. The new terminology is “adhesive”. Sounds much more professional in my opinion.
Now let’s take a little time to discuss the “Seasoned” Salon Professional.
As I mentioned earlier in this post, vocabulary and terminology have changed significantly over the years. I am going to rely on my Cosmetology background for some examples. Back in the day, we used to highlight hair using a cap and a tiny crochet hook. It almost sounds barbaric today, but this was the technology used then. We referred to this service as “Frosting”. Not many people would know what this service is today. We use foil or plastic wrap or even free hand paint on lightener to get the desired result. “Bleach” is now referred to as “Lightener”. Terminology changes, techniques change and so should we and our staff.
The best way to guide our “Seasoned” Team Members into the updated terminology is to have a meeting, class, demonstration or discussion on how to bring the new and update language into the salon so all your Team will feel comfortable discussing the changes. Your clients will be pleased that their salon is up to date, and even on the cutting edge of the Beauty Industry.
In the past, I have borrowed Esthetic and Cosmetology student books and read through them. I was amazed at how much had changed just in the terminology describing the techniques and services. I am fortunate to be a Licensed Cosmetology Instructor, this gives me the opportunity to peek in once in a while on what is being taught in the schools currently. I am an on-call Educator for a local Cosmetology School, so I have access to everything going on in the school.
Being an Educator, it is extremely important to keep my finger on the pulse of what is happening in the Industry.
 
Your Team will appreciate your dedication to them and your clientele if you adopt this policy of keeping informed.
One other strategy I have found helpful is to pair up a Newbie with a Seasoned Team Member. I let them shadow each other for a few hours a week. This gives them each time to develop a relationship, it gives the seasoned team member the opportunity to listen to the language they use to describe the services to be performed on the client. The seasoned member can see how easily the client takes to the new language being used. If there is any confusion, the seasoned member can help explain to the client exactly what the new language means and what the final result should be. This really helps both parties and the client make a smooth transition to new descriptive language for an old service.
We should always be trying to elevate our industry by using language that is descriptive, professional and up to date. Nothing says old fashioned than dated, stale language.
So, in conclusion, what step can you as your Salon Leader take to keep up to date on the Beauty Industry Language?
Attend Beauty Industry Shows. Use Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest for videos and lectures by the amazing talent that is putting their work out there for us to view and take inspiration from.
Maybe you will learn some new “Language” you can adopt in your Salon.